


Just Passing Through

by 108am



Category: U-KISS
Genre: Chance Meetings, Cross-Posted on LiveJournal, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Slice of Life, Surprises, Unexpected Visitors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-18
Updated: 2011-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/108am/pseuds/108am
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He is always passing by, but Alexander kind of likes the little trinkets he leave behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Passing Through

**Author's Note:**

> I originally intended to include all of the members, but I couldn’t fit in Kibum, and I don’t like excluding him, so I decided to focus on just Alexander/Kiseop in the end. Obviously, this involves a lot of artistic license. You’re all free to interpret this as friendship or romantic, since it’s too awfully subtle to distinguish between the two.

It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon when Alexander had a wet visitor standing in front of his door. He looked at Kiseop from head to toe. The only thing that shielded the younger man from the shower was the hood of his hoodie, but that alone didn’t really protect Kiseop much. After Alexander was able to shake the surprise away, he found his voice wavering slightly as he started to question Kiseop, “W-why are you here?”

Kiseop shuffled his feet, and then he blurted out, “I left my glasses here last time. I was passing through so—so I thought I would stop by to get it.”

It sounded like a lie, but Alexander remembered the large square-rimmed glasses on his desk. “Come in and dry off while I get it for you.”

Alexander had gotten a towel and left Kiseop alone in the living room while he disappeared to his bedroom to look for the glasses. He found it instantly, but he didn’t like the feeling of just handing it over to the other man and watching him rush off. He drummed his fingers on the desk as he tried to think of ways to prolong Kiseop’s stay. He had not realized that the minutes went by in a flash until he heard the soft voice of Kiseop calling for him.

“Did you find it?”

Alexander rushed out of his bedroom, pausing in his steps at the entrance of the living room when he noticed Kiseop’s disheveled hair that oddly reminded him of a bird’s nest. He stifled his giggles as he handed the glasses over to Kiseop. “So if you have some time, maybe—”

“Sorry,” Kiseop cut off Alexander’s sentence; his hand had already seized the glasses and carefully placed them on. “I got a call from Kevin about a rehearsal this evening, and I need to leave right now. Thanks for this.” Kiseop pointed at the glasses on his face, an awkward grin was on his face. With a quick wave of his hand, Kiseop disappeared out of Alexander’s dry home and back onto the rainy street.

“Bye,” Alexander let the word slip when he realized no one could hear it.

 

 

The weather had suddenly turned scorching hot when Alexander found Kiseop standing in front of his door, out of breath, and carrying a plastic bag in one hand. Kiseop shoved the bag into Alexander’s arms and the only thing he said in between his heavy breathing was, “Hurry.”

Alexander looked into the bag and noticed two boxes of ice cream that were quickly melting in the extreme heat. He pulled Kiseop inside and quickly placed the ice cream in the freezer. He turned his gaze over to the younger man keeling over his counter, and a small smile crept onto his face at the sight of the sweat droplets trailing down the side of Kiseop’s face. He grabbed a handful of ice cubes from the freezer and placed them against Kiseop’s face, his smile widened at hearing the pleasurable sigh escaping those pretty, plump lips.

“Wristband,” Kiseop said after he regained his composure. “I left my wristband here last time I was here.”

Alexander racked his brain, trying to remember back to the weeks before when Kiseop appeared at his door on that rainy day, looking for his glasses. He then smiled when he remembered finding a black wristband on his coffee table after Kiseop had left. “It’s on my desk. Should I get it now?”

Kiseop shook his head. “You can get it for me after we eat the ice cream. It’s sort of an apology—for leaving so suddenly.”

Alexander smiled again, happy that Kiseop was able to stay longer this time. They filled the time together with dumb jokes, laughter, and too much ice cream.

It was nice, Alexander thought briefly as he watched Kiseop attempting to lick the strawberry ice cream he had gotten on the tip of his nose. It was just nice forgetting reality for a moment. When it came time for Kiseop to leave, the sun had already begun to set, and Alexander was once again saddened to see the other man leaving him behind once more.

He gotten the wristband Kiseop had come for, and handed it hastily to the other man, sort out of spite but mostly wishing to make the goodbye as short as possible. Kiseop then left just as suddenly as he had come, but just before Alexander could even find a reason to curse him, he noticed an earring on the table.

He smiled once more, picking up the small object and carrying it to his room to place on his desk. Kiseop would be back. He was starting to understand this little game Kiseop had started. He would back be; there was no doubt about it.

 

 

The next time the pretty young man stopped by was on a clear night when all of the stars had come out of their hiding places to sparkle brightly for all to see. They’d lay on the roof, trying to connect the stars to form a familiar image.

“That looks like a pigeon,” Kiseop laughed, retracing the images a few more times for Alexander to see.

“Speaking of pigeon…” Alexander’s voice trailed off for a moment before he started to speak again, “Never mind. Oh, that looks like an egg tart! I want to eat egg tarts. We _should_ eat egg tarts right now.”

“Everyone is fine, hyung. They all miss you too.” Kiseop turned his head to look at Alexander, noticing for just a split second, the happy expression on Alexander’s face was replaced by sadness before returning to its usual optimistic façade.

“W-we should eat egg tarts,” Alexander repeated, sounding almost as if he was on the verge of breaking down.

“We should. I’ll bring some next time.”

 

 

A couple of weeks later, Kiseop stopped by again on a cloudy Saturday morning with a box of egg tarts. When Alexander had opened the door, Kiseop started to giggle when he saw the other man’s bed hair. “Nice hair, hyung.”

“Egg tarts!” Alexander pointed excitedly at the box, not noticing Kiseop was laughing at his ungroom appearance.

“Trade you this for my ring?”

Alexander pouted. “ _No._ ”

Kiseop pulled out one of the egg tarts, and maneuvered it hypnotically around Alexander’s nose. “Please?”

“N-No. _No!_ ” Alexander reiterated, not as convincing as before.

“This box of egg tarts and,” Kiseop looked around himself, trying to find another object to offer in this exchange. “My necklace.” Kiseop took his necklace off and handed it to Alexander along with the box of egg tarts. “I’ll be back.”

Alexander said nothing as he headed for his room to get the ring for the waiting man.

 

 

Alexander wasn’t home the next time Kiseop stopped by.

When Alexander had gotten home, he found an orange juice box was left in front of the door. On one side of the box, he saw a sad face was drawn, and in the corner of the same side was Kiseop’s name carefully written.

Alexander placed the straw inside the box, and took a sip, noting it was particularly sour.

 

 

When Kiseop came by again, he was shaking uncontrollably and thinner than usual. He leaned against the door frame to keep his balance, but it was not enough to support him when his knees finally gave out. His contact with the ground was quickly prevented when Alexander instinctively caught the younger man. Kiseop spoke softly against Alexander’s chest, “My—that thing—the—”

“Stay tonight,” Alexander whispered; his hand had already found itself feeling Kiseop’s warm forehead.

Kiseop nodded weakly, his head fell against Alexander’s chest. He murmured softly as Alexander helped him inside, “I was—I was passing by…”

Alexander said nothing; just a slight nod was made, but he knew Kiseop wouldn’t have noticed it.

 

 

Alexander should not have been surprised when he woke up finding his bed empty. He had stayed by Kiseop’s side all night, nursing him through his high fever and other ailments. He must have given into his exhaustion when Kiseop was finally able to sleep soundly, but Alexander didn’t expect to be sleeping so peacefully as well that he didn’t even notice Kiseop making his escape. He sighed to himself when he noticed an unfamiliar cell phone lying on his pillow.

Picking it up, he saw a message on the screen: _Sorry, hyung._

 

 

It had been weeks since Kiseop had stopped by, but Alexander already knew the reason why. U-KISS was busy performing in other countries, so there were no chances for Kiseop to just be “passing through.” It was lonely just passing the days with idle activities, but it didn’t bother him before when he was looking forward to the random days when that man would just show up at his doorstep with the perfect blend of awkward and sweetness on his face.

Alexander fingered the cell phone Kiseop had left behind. He mused to himself, the sudden thought about the cryptic message Kiseop had left popped in his head. He would be back, Alexander thought to himself as he looked at the phone.

Right?

 

 

Before he knew it, the weeks had turned into months, and it became clear how different their lifestyles were now. Alexander had considered just leaving the phone some place where he could forget about it, but it was hard denying its existence while he still held on to the hope that Kiseop would come by soon.

 

 

One bright morning, Alexander woke up to the sound of the song “Happy Birthday” playing somewhere. As he adjusted his eyes to the bright light, he noticed the source of the sound was on his desk. He stumbled out of his bed, tripping over his blanket in the process, before finally making his way over to the desk.

It was Kiseop’s phone. With a shaking hand, he picked up the phone and hit the dismiss button. There was a message on the screen: _Happy birthday, hyung! I’m stopping by today to pick this up, so don’t go anywhere today! ^^_

Alexander laughed, rereading the message a few more times. As he started to reread it again for the fourteenth time, he heard the sound of the doorbell ringing. With a smile, Alexander headed downstairs, not bothering to stop to check his appearance. He opened the door and saw a familiar grinning figure before him, holding a birthday cake covered in fruits.

“Happy birthday. I’m back.”


End file.
